Legislature headed for unusual turnover

SPRINGFIELD -- At least 20 members of the Illinois General Assembly are not running for re-election, a once-a-decade development that will bring new faces to the legislature’s new chambers.

CHRIS WETTERICH

SPRINGFIELD -- At least 20 members of the Illinois General Assembly are not running for re-election, a once-a-decade development that will bring new faces to the legislature’s new chambers.

When other lawmakers who retired before the 2010 elections or resigned to run for other offices are thrown into the total, there will be more than two dozen new members serving in the legislature starting in 2013 compared with four years ago.

Barring a shakeup of the new legislative map by the courts, Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, will not run in his revamped district in 2012. McCann, Springfield Park Board member Gray Noll and Springfield Ward 9 Ald. Steven Dove are vying to replace Bomke. McCann’s district will see a new senator, and the 96th Illinois House District, composed of Decatur and parts of Springfield, is an open seat and will produce a new member.

The Illinois Senate will see the most significant facelift. Ten of its 59 members are retiring — five Democrats and five Republicans. In the House, 10 of its 118 members are retiring — seven Democrats and three Republicans.

‘Not that fun’

Kent Redfield, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, said it’s typical to see a lot of retirements in the election after districts are redrawn following a new U.S. Census.

Because Democrats dominate the General Assembly, the new map they drew heavily favors their members and puts many Republicans in demographically difficult districts or pits them against each other in the same districts.

“I suspect that this is probably higher than 10 years ago because of the combination of things,” Redfield said. “The legislature is more centralized than it used to be. This is a particularly difficult map for the Senate Republicans.”

The reasons for leaving vary. Some members are moving on to private-sector jobs. Others, such as Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, are running for Congress or another higher office. Still others cite family concerns. And some are just retiring, period.

Democrats make up 12 of the 20 retirees. Redfield said that is not surprising given the top-down management style in the General Assembly, where the four leaders set the legislature’s course.

“Clearly there have been people leaving because it’s not that fun to be in the General Assembly,” Redfield said. “I think if you’re ambitious and it’s not clear you’re ever going to be Speaker (of the House) — there’s certainly some of that (as a factor).”

Budget frustration

Democrats also tend want government to do more and have ideas for more programs that cost more money. Redfield pointed to the retirement of Democratic Sen. James Meeks, a minister from the South Side of Chicago and an advocate for more funding for education

“If you’re Senator Meeks, you fought the good fight and tried to advance your agenda,” Redfield said. “I think it’s very frustrating. There are people who what they like is cut ribbons and announce grants. You can’t do that in a budget crisis.”

Sen. Jeffery Schoenberg, D-Evanston, announced his retirement earlier this month in order to work for two people with money to spend — Chicago billionaires J.B. and M.K. Pritzker. Schoenberg will help manage their early-childhood philanthropy efforts. While Schoenberg, a member of Senate President John Cullerton’s leadership team, said he still enjoyed his legislative work, he mentioned the heightened partisanship when asked what has changed since he has been in Springfield.

“Increasingly the tone has become more intensely partisan,” Schoenberg said. “But I also understand that there’s a great deal of not just anxiety, but genuine fear that people have over the current economic situation and worrying about the stability of their employment, the ability to stay in their homes and provide for their families.”

Of all the caucuses, members of House Minority Leader Tom Cross’ caucus are retiring in fewer numbers than the other three.

“We have a lot of young men and women. I think that’s part of it,” Cross said.

Geography is another factor. One of the reasons Bomke has cited for his probable retirement is that his vast, new district extends to the Mississippi River and includes a lot of unfamiliar territory.

“They’re kind of willing to be legislators,” Redfield said, “but they’re not willing to work hard at winning an election.”

Chris Wetterich can be reached at (217) 788-1523.

Legislative retirements by caucus

House Democrats

*Rep. Joe Lyons

D-Chicago

19th District

Age: 60

Served since 1996

Assistant majority leader

*Rep. Connie Howard

D-Chicago

34th District

Age: 68

Served since 1995

Chairwoman of House Judiciary Committee-Criminal Law

*Rep. Karen May

D-Highland Park

58th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2001

Chairwoman of Environment and Energy Committee

*Rep. Lisa Dugan

D-Bradley

79th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2003

Chairwoman of Agriculture and Conservation Committee

*Rep. Kimberly du Buclet

D-Chicago

26th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2011

Appointed to replace *Rep. William Burns

*Rep. Dena Carli

D-Chicago

1st District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2011

Appointed to replace Susana Mendoza, the city clerk of Chicago

*Rep. Karen Yarbrough

D-Maywood

7th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2001

Chairwoman of the House Housing Committee

Senate Democrats

*Sen. James Meeks

D-Chicago

15th District

Age: 55

Served since 2003

Chairman of the Senate Education Committee

*Sen. Jeff Schoenberg

D-Evanston

9th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2003

Assistant Majority Leader

*Sen. Edward Maloney

D-Chicago

18th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2003

Chairman of Senate Higher Education Committee

*Sen. Susan Garrett

D-Lake Forest

29th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2003

Majority caucus whip

*Sen. David Koehler

D-Peoria

46th District

Age: Not listed on legislative website

Served since 2006

Chairman of Senate Local Government Committee

House Republicans

*Rep. Jerry Mitchell

R-Sterling

90th District

Age: 69

Served since 1995

Ranking minority member of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee

*Rep. Dave Winters

R-Shirland

68th District

Age: 59

Served since 1995

Ranking minority member of the House Telecommunications Committee

*Rep. Franco Coladipietro

R-Bloomingdale

45th District

Age: 43

Served since 2007

Ranking minority member on the House Financial Institutions Committee

Senate Republicans

*Sen. Larry Bomke

R-Springfield

50th District

Age: 61

Served since 1995.

Ranking minority member of the Senate Transportation Committee

*Sen. John Millner

R-Carol Stream

28th District

Age: Not listed on legislature’s website

Served since 2005

Ranking minority member of the Senate Criminal Law Committee

*Sen. Suzi Schmidt

R-Lake Villa

31st District

Age: Not listed on legislature’s website

Served since 2011

Ranking minority member of the Senate Local Government Committee

*Sen. Tom Johnson

R-West Chicago

48th District

Age: Not listed on legislature’s website

Served since 2010

Ranking minority member of the Senate State Government and Veterans Affairs Committee